Kim Vaughn
Communications
In recent years, the urgency of addressing climate change has brought soil carbon management to the forefront of public interest in Washington state. The focus on regenerative farming, climate-smart agriculture, and natural climate solutions has opened up new opportunities for soil scientists and growers to explore innovative approaches to building soil carbon. However, the complexity of soil carbon formation and the context-dependent nature of its response to management pose challenges for decision makers in creating science-informed policies and programs. In this blog post, we will discuss the key findings from recent studies that shed light on soil management and farming practices in Washington state.
Science-informed soil carbon policies in Washington and beyond
In a recent review article published in the journal Frontiers in Sustainable Food Systems, Dani Gelardi, Senior Soil Scientist at Washington State Department of Agriculture (WSDA) and colleagues highlight the importance of diverse approaches in building and preserving soil carbon.
The article summarizes current soil carbon science and assesses ten strategies currently being deployed in the United States, such as soil health initiatives, research networks, direct incentive payments, carbon markets, and crop insurance reform. The authors go on to advocate for a multi-pronged policy approach that leverages the strengths and expertise of diverse stakeholders. While Gelardi and colleagues focus on increasing soil carbon storage, they also emphasize that soils offer numerous valuable services beyond climate change mitigation, which are essential for climate change adaptation.
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| Conceptual diagram detailing how soil organic carbon is both accumulated and utilized by soil microbes to power a broad suite of ecosystem services. (Click image to enlarge) |
Key findings: Current strategies employed in the United States
Gelardi et al. analyzed ten current practices for building and preserving soil carbon, as well as their potential contributions to an effective, science-informed policy and program portfolio. The table below illustrates how diverse approaches are required to achieve diverse goals.
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From Gelardi et al. 2023, https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fsufs.2023.1188133/full (Click image to enlarge) |
Soil management in Washington's dryland wheat: Survey responses
Dryland wheat is central to Washington state, with 25% of its agricultural land dedicated to growing wheat that contributes up to $1 billion to the economy every year. But Washington’s wheat is typically grown in low rainfall areas and is susceptible to the impacts of climate change – increased drought, excessive heat, and extreme weather events.
To better understand soil management and drought resilience in Washington’s wheat producing regions, WSDA surveyed dryland wheat producers about their current and historic wheat production strategies, soil management challenges, the costs and benefits of conservation practices, and the impacts of the 2021 drought. The results of the survey were published in a recent white paper. Authors determined that conservation practices such as cover cropping are high, but multiple barriers prevent reduced-till methods from being widely adopted. However, both methods can deliver benefits in increasing farm resilience and decreasing long-term costs.. Survey responses also highlighted the complexity of soil management decisions producers face a unique set of considerations that influence their decision-making practices.
Key findings:
1. Soil carbon and climate change adaptation: Soil management practices play a crucial role in increasing farm resilience and adapting to climate change. While the impacts of climate change, such as increased drought, heat, and extreme weather events, pose challenges for dryland wheat producers, implementing conservation practices can help mitigate some of these impacts.
2. Benefits of conservation practices: The survey responses indicate that dryland wheat producers who adopted conservation practices reported increased yields, improved soil moisture retention, erosion resistance, and long-term cost savings. These benefits highlight the potential of conservation practices to enhance soil health and farm profitability.
3. Barriers to adoption: Despite the reported benefits, the adoption of conservation practices in dryland wheat farming remains low. Barriers such as equipment costs, lack of technical support, and concerns about crop insurance requirements hinder the widespread implementation of practices like reduced-till and cover cropping. Addressing these barriers is crucial to encouraging greater adoption and reaping the benefits of sustainable soil management.
4. Context-specific solutions: Soil management decisions are complex and vary among farms. There is no one-size-fits-all solution, and each farm requires unique considerations. Tailoring programs and policies to address the nuanced and variable needs of farmers can help overcome barriers and promote the adoption of sustainable soil management practices.
The importance of a science-based, collaborative approach to soil health
Building soil carbon and managing soil health are crucial not only for climate change mitigation but also for adapting to the impacts of climate change. Recognizing the importance of science-informed soil carbon policies and conservation practices in Washington state will only take on increasing importance in the face of extreme weather events, excessive heat, and other byproducts of climate change. For these reasons, it is imperative that policymakers, researchers, and farmers work together to develop context-specific solutions, provide technical support, and address barriers to the adoption of sustainable soil management practices. By integrating science and practice, Washington state can continue to lead in sustainable agriculture and contribute to global efforts in addressing climate change.